Hello and welcome…Going shopping now is quite a treat…for the first time in a number of weeks I visited the big fresh market here as Lily’s other nanny has nearly run out of her Betel Nuts…My daughter-in-law had tried to purchase some more from her local markets without much success…You may think it wouldn’t be a problem…

Oh, it would! The reason is that although the Betel Nut is banned here it is also addictive… They are still sold on the local markets … if the ban was enforced then there would be a major problem… methinks lots of elderly people would be having withdrawal symptoms… Can you picture that…I think they are just going to let this particular habit peter out as it is generally only the older generation who have this habit…

Photo credit: Pison Jaujip on Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

Easy to spot as when they smile their teeth and gums are bright red…If you would like to know more about this Betel nut and Nam Pboon Sai (limewater) then please click this link.

The betel leaves I use as a leaf to wrap and eat food as in Miang Kham…

Anyway, disaster was avoided with mother-in-law all posted and she is happy to report they arrived this morning…Withdrawal averted…Phew!

While in the post office I was surprised at the number of people sending Mangoes the season for which is in full swing and everywhere you look there are mangoes of all sizes and colours…Another symptom of Covid-19 where people can’t travel from the villages to the market which means the postal system is running at full pelt as if you can’t get to the mangoes then the mangoes will be sent to you…

I will say though that the postal system here is excellent… post it one day and it arrives bright and early the next day and no extra to pay either…Cheap as chips as the saying goes……

Another fruit in season now is the jujube...It is also known as the Phutsaa Fruit…

The young fruit is green and tastes very much like apples. In Vietnam, they are known as ‘táo tàu’ which means Chinese apple. As the fruit matures or is dried, they turn red and the flavour changes.

This distinctive fruit is used for a number of purposes. When dried it is added to food as a flavouring dry jujube has similar taste and nutrition profile as that of dates; packed with energy, minerals, and essential vitamins.

The dried fruit is popular as a special type of herbal tea infusion. It also has a pleasant taste.

Used in traditional Asian medicines the fruit is also considered to be a treatment for a number of ailments, particularly sore throats and modern medicine has found the fruit to be an effective treatment to prevent neonatal jaundice.

STOP PRESS:

UK Coffee Week. and Corona Virus… Postponed until Autumn.

In line with the latest Government advice on social distancing, we have made the decision to postpone the campaign until Autumn.

A message from our Founder Jeffrey Young: “Our partners and sponsors have been incredibly supportive during this very difficult period for all, and we are working with them to agree on a new date.”

“In the meantime, we remain committed to all our supporters, from coffee shops and restaurants to roasters and other food-service businesses. We will do everything we can to prioritise their needs and help them through what is a challenging time for everyone.”

About Carol Taylor: 

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all are having a good week so far… stay safe and wash those hands xx